This invention relates to solenoid valve assemblies, and in particular to a spring clip for providing rapid assembly or disassembly of the solenoid valve assembly.
Various means of providing a rapid assembly or disassembly of a solenoid valve have been disclosed in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,823, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a valve assembly having a cap and nut arrangement for assembling the valve. While this arrangement provides a secure assembly of the solenoid valve, due to the number of parts involved, it can be somewhat costly to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,740 discloses a different type of assembly device comprising a collar fitted on one end of a solenoid element and a pivotal cap which is secured thereto. Again, due to the number of parts involved, this arrangement can be quite costly to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,360 discloses another kind of solenoid assembly device comprising a contractible assembly ring which is snapped about a protruding end of a solenoid element. The assembly ring is a molded part, requiring manufacture of a costly mold and, given the nature of the device, close mold tolerances. Such a ring therefore is costly to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,079 discloses a spring clip for assembling a solenoid valve. The clip engages one end of a solenoid element, and is slid into place to lock the assembly together. It provides an effective means of assembly, although because the clip is a fairly large element, and given the fact that it is made from spring steel, it can be somewhat costly, although not as costly as multipart assembly devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,160 discloses a retaining clip which is an improvement over that of U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,079. It is simpler, with less metal, and therefore less costly from a materials standpoint. However, it clips only to a protruding end of the solenoid element, and therefore relies on an enlarged portion of a solenoid valve at the opposite end of the solenoid assembly. Otherwise, the element would fall from the solenoid valve assembly when inverted.